ABSTRACT
A society and a people always struggle to surge ahead against all odds and would aim to improve their living conditions, be it in terms of regulating or controlling surrounding environment or nature, harnessing the existing resources sustainably, gaining knowledge to manage and prudently use the available resources, etc. It is essential to note that development has both intended and unintended consequences as well as anticipated and unanticipated outcomes that have a bearing on the lives and livelihood of the poor. There is a great need to introspect about our models of development. Displacement was observed to be quite high during the colonial rule due to its policies related to forest land, land revenue, and exploitation of natural wealth, etc. It is now largely accepted that development has induced displacement of large sections of the poor from their habitat, be it forest dwellers, rural residents or urban poor living in the fringes or slums.
